Category Archives: Article

Storage Methodology & Odor-Free Storage. Things to Watch Out For in a few Popular Western Storage Methods.

Posted on November 2, 2019 by

One pumidor-related topic I contemplate is the correct way to think about the chosen container. Given we store a tea at identical temperature and humidity (say 70F/65RH), if we store the same tea for five years in two different ways, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged Pu'erh, Article, Raw Pu'erh, Ripe Pu'erh | 8 Comments

Aging Whites & Aged Whites. What I Learned From Char

Posted on October 19, 2019 by

Recently, Char (Oolong Owl) joined me for an inbetweenisode to discuss aging and aged white tea. Aged whites have become a topic of increasing interest in the west, and while Denny and I have brought a few onto the show … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged White Tea, Article, Long-form Article, White Tea | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Sample Upwards! Why You Should Consider Trying Teas You Have No Intention in Buying

Posted on October 5, 2019 by

When I’m buying cakes of tea I tend to gravitate towards certain price ranges and have a mental ceiling of how much I’m willing to spend on tea. It’s not really based off of anything well reasoned or rationalized and … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged Pu'erh, Article, Oolong, Raw Pu'erh | 8 Comments

Boutique Pu’erh. How Much of a Story Does the Top End of the Western Boutique Pu’erh Market Tell?

Posted on September 21, 2019 by

If you follow what gets said about prices each year, you would end up with the impression that the average price of tea has gone up. But more specifically the price at the most sought after regions (say Lao Banzhang, … Continue reading →

Posted in Article, Raw Pu'erh | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Five Things I Like & Dislike. China as a Monolith, Tea Instagram, Small Vendors Selling Semi-Aged Pu’erh

Posted on September 7, 2019 by

Five more things I like & dislike.

Posted in Article, Oolong, Raw Pu'erh | 2 Comments

Why Simple Storage Solution are Often A Better Fit for the Western Hobbyist

Posted on August 24, 2019 by

If you stick around the western pu’erh scene long enough, you’ll hear about people setting up a variety of different storage setups. Unfortunately there is only a light track record for us to draw on. A handful of 10-15 year … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged Pu'erh, Article, Raw Pu'erh | 2 Comments

A Few Considerations in a Group Session

Posted on August 10, 2019 by

I’ve had the opportunity to participate and host a number of group sessions since I got into tea. The context varies.. Some have been with a couple people unfamiliar with tea, others are with regular tea friends. This article on … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged Pu'erh, Article, Oolong, Raw Pu'erh, Ripe Pu'erh | 1 Comment

What I’ve Been Buying Recently (The Past Couple Years)

Posted on July 27, 2019 by

I get asked now and then what I’ve bought and where to buy from. Despite some past efforts of transparency and publicly shaming, I haven’t talked as directly about teas I’ve bought. If you read between the lines you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged Pu'erh, Article, Low-Elevation Oolong, Oolong, Raw Pu'erh, Ripe Pu'erh, Taiwanese Oolong, Wuyi Oolong | 8 Comments

When do Pu’erh Vendor’s Raise their Prices?

Posted on July 13, 2019 by

The common wisdom around pu’erh prices is that they rise over time. This is of course true if we zoom out far enough. If you were to take snapchats of most pu’erh production every few years, the trend would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Article, Raw Pu'erh, Ripe Pu'erh | 12 Comments

The 70/70 Line & Projecting Pu’erh Storage

Posted on June 29, 2019 by

A few years ago I thought it’d be interesting to try mapping certain temperature and humidity conditions to approximate a certain area’s storage. For instance, if you could maintain conditions of 55-65F/65RH in a storage setup that might approximate somewhat … Continue reading →

Posted in Aged Pu'erh, Article, Raw Pu'erh, Ripe Pu'erh, Storage | 7 Comments